EMRD
by AgntNevada
Summary: A Dancer, a Fighter, a Thrill Seeker, and a Loner have the chance of a life time to make things better when they get accepted to Beacon Academy. From the start, their lives begin to change as their pasts start to come out and they begin to see the signs of things happening in Remnant that could change everything. (Dedicated to Monty Oum, an inspiration to so many creators.)
1. E Trailer

**E Trailer**

_The simplest wishes are the ones that grant strength._

The music was soft and enchanting, like it had been taken straight from a fairy tale. The men and women's formal clothing made subtle rustling as the clothing's owners flowed with the music, performing the dance flawlessly. Emily matched their movements with her partner, smiling to herself as she moved. She loved to dance. The balance and grace felt natural to her. She wondered idly if it had anything to do with the cat's ears that were on her head.

As she danced, something odd came to her attention. While she was perfectly detailed, everyone else in the extravagant ballroom seemed hazy and out of focus.

She looked into her dance partner's face as he spun her in a circle. He didn't have a face. There was only blank flesh where his eyes, nose, and mouth should've been. She flicked her eyes to the other dancers and noticed that they had all stopped and were watching her. They too had faceless heads.

The music stopped and so did her partner. His grip on her tightened and, despite his lack of a face, Emily felt the hatred radiating from him. The emotion came from all sides. It seemed to speak. Outsider, liar, animal, Faunus.

The faceless man shoved her away, hard, as if she was something repulsive. Then he started to step away.

"Wait!" She cried out. "Don't leave! Please!"

He didn't respond, but silently backed away until he stood by the wall. Everyone else backed away from her, as if she had some communicable disease.

There was a different emotion in the air now. Intruder, enemy, killer.

Different shapes moved forward now. Knights in bright armor, naked swords gleaming menacingly. Their intentions were clear. Kill.

Pride and anger flushed the Faunus' face. What made her different? Her ears? Her movements? This wasn't right.

One of the knights swung at her and she pirouetted out of the way, as if she was still dancing. Another knight swung and the dancer bent back, letting the sword pass over her and then flipping backwards.

She stood tall and looked at her adversaries. She wouldn't go down without a fight. She grabbed the decorated metal band at her waist and spun in a circle. What looked like a segmented metal belt uncoiled from her waist and flashed in the light. The jiujiebian whooshed through the air and wrapped around the arm of one of the knights. Emily pulled back and the segments of blades cut through the knight's arm. The arm dissipated into fine powder and the Faunus caught the segmented whip and watched her opponents.

A few of the knights charged and Emily dropped backwards as they did. She cast her whip out as she fell and it wrapped around another knight's leg. She rotated on her back and pulled the leg out from under the knight, causing him to crash to the ground.

A different knight tried to take advantage of her prone state and stabbed his sword down. Emily glowed with viridian light and she pushed on the ground with her free hand. Her body rolled sideways and she continued to roll, upwards and spinning like a top.

A gust of wind rushed out from her as she cast her aura out. The nearby knights stumbled back from the force of the wind. Emily continued spinning, rising in the air until she was able to adjust herself and touch the ground with her feet.

She clicked the button on the whip's handle and yellow light spread throughout the metal of the weapon. There was the sound of crackling and she lashed out with the weapon. The jiujiebian sailed through the air and the blade slashed into one of the remaining knights. There was a crack like thunder and yellow light blasted the knight apart. Without hesitation, Emily spun and the whip followed her movements. She twisted and it twisted. She thrust and it surged forward. She kept the knights away from her as she dispatched them all. The flashes of lightning coming from the Dust powered weapon resembling a thunderstorm.

Shortly, she was the only fighter still standing. The whip stopped crackling and her body stopped glowing. She coiled the jiujiebian around her waist and looked around, breathing heavily.

The crowd was still there, but they seemed more in focus now. Details about their appearances were more clear. Slowly, one of them began to clap. And then another, and another, and another.

Soon, the whole room was clapping and Emily knew that she had won them over. The Faunus bowed to them and everything faded away.

Slowly, the Faunus opened her eyes and saw her room. It had all been a dream. It had almost seemed like a nightmare but, with some effort, everything had changed.

Emily smiled to herself. There was clearly something to learn there.

**(AN: Well, here's my first trailer. Let me know what you think. As I'm sure you have guessed, I will be starting this story like the original show, with ****character trailers before things start moving, so there are three more trailers left. I also know that there are other team Emerald stories out there. This is not an attempt to copy them in any way, shape and/or form. It's a coincidence that we share a team name, and it's kind of inevitable considering the color rule. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this trailer and that you'll enjoy the story as it progresses.)**


	2. M Trailer

**M Trailer**

_There is almost nothing more terrible than looking around and realizing that what you used to see was the dream, and that reality is actually the nightmare._

Marie stood in front of the grave in silence. The stab that penetrated her heart was one that she felt every time she came here. Even after five years, it still felt like it had happened yesterday. She gazed at the names with longing. A longing that made the last five years feel like a hundred, and that she had woken up from dreams into a nightmare.

The engraving on the headstone was simple, like they had wanted. _David and Elizabeth Bordeaux. Honored parents and protectors of the law._

She remembered the day perfectly. Every detail burned into her mind. Burned. An interesting word choice considering.

The human stood there for a few moments before setting down the flowers she had brought. She didn't speak, but anyone watching would've caught the slight droop to her shoulders after she stood again. Slowly, she lifted her right hand and kissed the ends of her fingers and then pressed them to the grave where her parents were buried.

She turned and left, her hand seeming to hesitate before leave the cold and unforgiving stone.

She wandered out of the graveyard and back into the city. Light cast from the moon and street lamps gleamed off of the maroon bracers on her arms. She walked, lost in thought and barely paying attention to what was around her.

The sound of shouting brought the girl out of her thoughts and she looked down a street to see a large group of people shouting and holding signs. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on. The protestors were Faunus and, judging by what they were shouting, they were protesting this shop's treatment of them. Of course, on the anniversary of her parent's death, she had to walk into this.

Marie had trouble feeling one way or the other about Faunus. Her parents were all for their rights, but the White Fang's idea of a protest was what had taken them away from her.

Rather than feel anger or empathy, what Marie mostly felt was tired. She was getting sick of the whole affair.

She stood, impassively, on the sidewalk, watching the protest. She caught a glimpse of the shop keeper through the crowd. He looked angry. Then his eyes widened and fear replaced the anger. It took Marie a moment to realize why.

Much of the crowd had started backing away, but some of the gathered Faunus had moved forward with bright objects in their hands.

Marie was moving before she was conscious of the fact. Her eyes were narrowed with concentration. Her legs glowed grey and she launched herself into the air. Anyone looking up would've had a glimpse of her figure in front of the moon, before she slammed down in front of the shop, her right arm glowing as she fell.

Marie's impact with the ground sent out a shockwave which caused a couple nearby Faunus to stumble back.

The human rose slowly and flicked her arms to her sides. Blades slid out from her bracers. She didn't need to speak, but she did anyway.

"Get back." She said coldly.

The Faunus carrying the torches dropped the flaming objects and drew weapons, clearly furious at Marie's interference. The closest Faunus attacked her first.

The human parried the swing of the sword and brought one of her booted feet into his stomach. The Faunus was launched off of his feet, his breath leaving him with a popping sound. Marie didn't pay him any more heed. She rotated and parried another attack. She thrust her other arm forward in a stab, barely missing the Faunus with her strike.

The White Fang member realized that she wasn't playing around and pressed his attack with his twin swords, trying to keep her on the defensive while his companions flanked her from either side.

Marie caught the other Faunus in her peripheral vision. Deciding to change tactics, she dropped, retracting her blades as she did so, and swept her front attacker's legs out from under him. She came back up and grabbed him by his front. With a heave, she threw him into the Faunus to her left.

She then spun to the attacker on her right and grabbed his sword with her grey glowing hand as he swung the weapon. With a twitch of her hand, the blade snapped. The Faunus' face had only just a moment to show surprise before her other hand, also glowing, struck him in the solar plexus, sending him flying through the air as if he'd been hit by a truck.

There was a click behind her and she turned to see a barrel of a gun aimed at her, the Faunus that held it was standing just out of arm's reach.

"You're going to pay for this." He said and his finger started to move.

Marie moved too. Her arms glowed and went up, the blades in her bracers slid back out at the same time. Their path intersected with the gun and sliced straight through it.

"What the-" the Faunus started to say before Marie grabbed his shoulders and brought her knee hard into his stomach. He tried to fall in pain but Marie kept him supported and slammed her head into his.

Then she let go of him and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

"I already did." She spat and stepped over his unconscious form, her metal boots clicking as they touched the ground. There was no one else in the area, except for the shop keeper. The protesting Faunus had all fled. Police sirens were close by and getting louder. Marie exhaled, tired from the fight. The shop keep approached her.

"Thank you for saving me from those animals." He said as he walked to her. "I don't what I would've done if you hadn't come. Those Faunus only-"

He stopped speaking when the point of one of Marie's blades was pointed directly between his eyes, which crossed comically to try and keep it in focus.

"You're no better than they were," She said coldly. "so shut up. At least they had the guts to stand up for themselves while you just cowered in the corner. Those Faunus only what? Only tried to do to you what you do to them? Treat you second class? Maybe you should think about what you're doing before being discriminatory. That way people can stay out of the cross fire."

The blades snicked back into her bracers and she left the bewildered shop keep without looking back.

Maybe she would be able to sleep tonight, knowing she'd stopped what had killed her parents before, for now anyway. She was sick of this war.

**(AN: Two down, two to go. In case I didn't portray her weapon right, her bracers act like Baraka's blades from Mortal Kombat. Instead of coming out of her skin, they come out of the bracers to increase her reach. Let me know what you think of her. Until next time.)**


	3. R Trailer

**R Trailer**

_Actions speak louder than words, because they reveal what a person believes on a primal level. When you act, you know who you truly are._

Reginald walked down the street, smiling to himself. Music blared in his ears, blocking out most of what might be happening around him. He hummed along to the tune that was playing and even danced a little to the beat.

Reginald noticed that some of the very few people who were out at this time of night gave him odd looks as he passed them. His smile grew. Maybe they were looking at the curved horns or maybe they just found his good mood odd. He didn't care. He was happy and he wasn't going to let anyone else get in the way of that.

Just to prove the point, he closed his eyes and did a little spin, reveling in the indifferent attention that was he was granted.

He opened his eyes and was just slightly miffed that there suddenly didn't seem to be anyone there. He looked around and didn't see any signs of life. A newspaper drifted through the air, carried by a slight breeze.

"Swell", the Faunus said. With a small shrug, he continued walking. He'd barely moved a few steps when he noticed that he wasn't as alone as he thought. There were a few people in a semicircle in a nearby alley.

Curious, Reginald moved towards the alley. He yanked his earphones out of his ears in order to hear better. The music, not paused, blared out of the earbuds for anyone nearby to hear. Either his music was louder than he realized or some of the unknown people had good hearing because of couple of them turned and moved towards him.

Reginald had a glimpse of a beautiful Faunus girl looking scared and annoyed before the two men reached him.

"You don't want to be here." The closer of the two said.

"Now what could make you say that?" Reginald asked in a cheery voice. "The night is wonderful, I happen to like the city, and walking is not an objectionable form of exercise." He added with a grin.

The second man looked at the first with a you've-got-to-be-kidding look. Reginald lifted his hands up in a shrug.

"Beat it." The first said, slowly starting to draw his sword. "If you know what's good for you."

Reginald brought his hands down to his sides and gave the thug a look. "Do I seriously look like a guy who knows what's good for him? My mom can go on for hours about that. If it's not too much to ask, who's the cute girl?"

"Get going." The second thug said, completely drawing his sword along with his partner.

Reginald smirked. "Suit yourself." The Faunus said and swung the mace he'd gripped when he lowered his arms straight into the side of the second thug's head.

The man was launched from his feet and sent into his partner. Both men hit the ground and lay there, moaning in pain.

Reginald stepped over them, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Hello?" He called out, catching the attention of the other thugs. "I'm sorry to interrupt what must be entertaining for you all, but I can't help noticing that this gorgeous girl doesn't seem very happy."

One of the thugs looked to another and said, "Great, another freak. We can beat this one up too. Could always do with less of them."

Reginald laughed and said, "I'm sorry. My doctor forbid me from being beaten up today, so I'll have to pass."

"Too late. You might want to give him a call. 'Cause you two are going to need it." The thug said and he and his companions drew their swords and guns.

Reginald hefted his weapon faster and fired a short burst of bullets at the feet of the thugs, the mace having changed into a tommy gun on the fly. The thugs stumbled back to avoid the fire, but kept their weapons ready. The Faunus' eyes quickly flicked to each of the four thugs. This would have to be quick, otherwise the girl might get hurt.

In a sudden move, Reginald threw his weapon, already changing back into a mace, towards the furthest opponent, knocking the human down. The Faunus moved forward just enough to thrust his fist into the nearest thug's gut. The criminal was ready for the attack, bringing his arms down into a block.

With a devilish grin, Reginald grabbed the man's shoulder and head-butted him. The man slumped in Reginald's grasp as the Faunus rotated and shoved the unconscious thug into his nearby partner. The third thug staggered back with the weight suddenly forced on him, giving Reginald time to knock out his feet and cause both fighters to hit the ground.

The Faunus hopped over the two and sent his mace into the air with a flick of his foot. Reginald caught the weapon and brought it down onto the first thug's head. The gunman collapsed.

There was a female gasp of fear and Reginald spun around to see the fourth thug holding his weapon to the Faunus girl's head. The barrel of the gun was jammed into the side of the girl's head and the bayonet attachment was near her throat. It would only take one move to make sure that she was thoroughly dead.

"Drop the weapon, scum." The thug spat. Reginald saw the look of fear in there Faunus girl's eyes and he slowly lifted his arms up, the mace's head and barrel pointing harmlessly towards the ground.

"Take it easy man." Reginald said. "You're the one who wanted a workout, not me. Are you alright, sweetheart?" He asked the Faunus girl softly. A tear rolled down the girl's cheek and she seemed about to answer, but the thug cut her off before she could.

"I said drop the weapon, filth, or I'll kill her. I swear I will." He was clearly scared, panic was in his voice and the weapon shook slightly in his hand.

Reginald gave the man a small smile. "Alright. I'm dropping it." The girl's eyes widened as Reginald's fingers released the hilt and the assault mace fell towards the ground. Everything seemed to slow down as the man's arm moved ever so slightly away from the Faunus girl.

Then the alleyway was full of blinding, gold light, as Reginald's aura came out. The thug and the girl screamed. The was the sound of bone meeting bone, and then bone meeting brick and the light vanished.

The girl's eyes were wide as her vision came back to her. Reginald was standing over the unconscious thug, his foot on top of the weapon that had been so close to killing her. Reginald flexed his fist.

"Ow. That guy was more skull than brain." He said. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

The girl nodded, tears of relief rolling down her cheeks. Reginald smiled. "Let's get out of here. There's a cafe down the street we can go to. The owner knows me."

"Thank you." the girl said. "I don't even know your name."

"Reginald. Reginald Aurum. Call me Reg, for short."

"Why?" The girl asked.

"Why Reg? I like to think it's cool. Probably isn't but," he shrugged.

The girl giggled slightly. "No. Why help? You could've walked away." She seemed surprised at her own question.

Reginald led the girl around a corner and said, "The honorable man from all the fairy tales we're told as kids would say that it is his duty to help someone in need. Some Faunus, like you or I, might say that we should never turn our backs on one of our own. Others still might simply want to help a gorgeous girl like yourself. But it wasn't for any of those reasons."

"Then, why?" The girl asked.

Reginald met her eye and said. "Because it's fun."

"Fun?" She asked, confused.

"Yeah. What's the point in doing something if you don't enjoy it? I like to help people because it's fun. I like to fight because it's fun. I like _life_ because it's fun. Even in a tight spot, there's always some chance to know that you can be the best you can be." He smiled at the girl and added, "Come on. The cafe is down here. Let's talk for a bit."

**(AN: Three down, one left. This one's a lot different from the last one, as you can see, but I really enjoyed writing it. Reginald's a really fun character to write in general. I hope you enjoyed reading this trailer as much as I did writing it. Let me know what you thought. It's D next and then everything starts. Until then, have fun.)**


	4. D Trailer

**D Trailer**

_Everyone has an animal inside them. Whether it's a little kitten that's harmless unless cornered, or the wolves that are in stories, everyone has one._

The sky was dark and blue through the treetops. There was a damp smell to the air and his hands would occasionally feel sweaty from the humidity. It seemed like it was getting ready to rain. Andrew really didn't mind that. He liked the rain, the feel of it on his skin when it would pour.

Andrew lay on the thick tree branch and thought. The day was really was beautiful. A couple of warning drops landed on his head and one of his wolf ears flicked. He should probably go home before the rain seriously started.

With a sigh he pulled himself up and looked down at the ground to quickly gauge the distance down. He had a thing for staying high up in trees and sometimes he idly wondered why. Maybe something to do with his Faunus heritage. He adjusted his feet in preparation to jump but stopped when he heard voices. He looked down and saw a gang of fellow students.

"Don't you know it's stupid to be in a tree when it's going to rain?" One asked jeeringly.

Andrew could never get a break with these guys. They'd been harassing him since day one of coming to this school. Well, at least he wouldn't have to deal with them for much longer. He'd soon be heading to Beacon. He could finally get away from this bunch of jerks.

"Only when it's going to thunderstorm." Andrew said in a bored voice.

"It is going to thunderstorm freak." Another yelled.

"Then what are all you idiots doing here? Shouldn't you be inside?"

"Just wanted to see the animal in it's place." One of them said.

That annoyed Andrew, which was probably the intent of the insult. He was getting sick of the constant insults and jeers. He'd fought tooth and nail to be the best he could and he had gotten accepted into Beacon! Couldn't they lay off a little?

"You know," Andrew said. "If you spent as much time practicing and studying as much as you do mouthing at me you could probably come with me to Beacon."

"Beacon? You? HA!" Several of the people laughed. "A degenerate like you couldn't possibly do well at Beacon. Only the best ever do well there. What'd you do? Lie your way in?" One of them laughed.

He was the first to be hit by Andrew's descent from the tree. The Faunus pulled the rod from his belt and extended it to it's full length. He spun the quarterstaff and held it at the ready.

"That's far enough." He said, his temper finally out. "The least you jerks could do is give a little congratulations. But its always the insults. Come on! Let's see what you've got!"

One of their weapons went right into his face and passed straight through. The guy looked down just in time to get one of the ends of Andrew's quarter staff into his forehead.

Andrew spun around and lightly knocked away another one of the weapons and pole queued his staff into another one of their faces. He gripped far along both sides of the staff and rotated it so that the weapon struck wide across the temple. Three down in a matter of seconds.

There were four more students left and Andrew was determined to take them all down to size. They had finally gotten over the surprise of his attack and began to think tactically. They drew weapons and attacked.

Andrew retracted one side of his staff which brought out a trigger on the center section of the staff. The Faunus pointed the weapon behind him and pulled the trigger. The weapon firing propelled him away from the others. He spun around when his feet touched the ground again.

A small piece had come up and the third of the staff that was still extended. He used it to aim for the farthest attacker. Mentally, he planned out his move.

He fired at the furthest first, his projectile knocking the attacker down. The projectiles wouldn't be lethal, Andrew wasn't that stupid. All of them knew how to use their auras to protect themselves and he fired to incapacitate, not kill.

He adjusted his aim and fired upon the second furthest attacker. Two bullets were needed to take this one down.

He spun the rifle staff by the trigger guard and planted the unextended end of the staff into the ground. He extended the staff completely and the extension threw him out and his leg struck the closest attacker in the chest. He spun in mid-air and as he did so he brought out his aura and reflected his own image, creating a second of himself. He landed smoothly on his feet with an exact copy of himself standing ready beside himself.

Both Andrew's held their quarterstaffs at the ready and they moved in opposite directions flanking the remaining fighter. The left Andrew retracted the one side of his staff into a rifle and fired it behind him to propel himself forward, towards the remaining fighter. The Andrew on the right converted his own staff into a rifle and targeted the human as well.

The remaining fighter threw himself back to avoid the twin attacks and the charging Andrew received the shot intended for the remaining fighter. That Andrew vanished into a whiff of vapor when the projectile struck.

Bullets flew past Andrew and he rotated to face the shooter, extending and spinning his staff to defend himself.

One of the fighters had managed to get up and had his weapon ready.

Andrew flicked his eyes back to other attacker. He had his twin swords ready and he was charging. Andrew spun his staff horizontally and fired, propelling himself away from the two attackers. He skidded to a halt and spun to look at his fellow students.

He adjusted his grip on his weapon and ran back towards them, making several images of himself as he did. All five of him separated so they couldn't all be taken down at once. Three charged the swordsman while the other two attacked the shooter.

The gunman opened fire, trying to take down the Faunus or destroy them if they were his illusions. The two used their staves to move in a broken path, avoiding the projectiles.

One of the Faunus rolled and brought his staff up as a rifle and sighted on the gunman. The student spun to fire before the Faunus shot and took the real Andrew's staff across his temple, knocking him unconscious again.

The swordsman looked over to his partner in time to see him drop. He lifted his swords and they glowed red. He slashed them down and sent an arc of fire towards the real Andrew.

The Faunus leapt aside and his images vanished into vapor as he lost concentration.

The remaining attacker walked forward, continuing to slash his swords through the air and sending arcs of flame toward the wolf eared warrior. The generated fire cast flickering shadows across his green armor as he attacked.

Andrew kept dodging the flames, although it was a matter of centimeters in some cases. He spun his staff and fired, throwing himself out of the immediate line of fire. He landed and sighted his weapon on the swordsman and pulled the trigger. There was a click but nothing happened.

He'd lost count of his shots and was out of ammo. "Damn it." He cursed and ran, avoiding the arcs of fire the swordsman sent his way. He would have to come in close then.

It started to rain, the drops falling lightly to the earth.

Andrew smiled and used his Semblance once more, creating two clones of himself.

The three Andrews made a reckless charge at the student who didn't attack immediately, surprised at Andrew's out of character tactic. That hesitation gave Andrew the moment he needed to reload his weapon. He drove the barrel end of his staff into the ground and fired. This clip was loaded with bullets to create an explosion when the rounds impacted.

The Faunus flew over the swordsman as he made his attack, destroying the copies the Faunus had left behind. Andrew fired at an angle, causing himself to spin in the air. He extended his staff to its full length in mid-spin and his rotation made the staff slap into the swordsman's face, breaking his nose and making blood fountain out.

The attacker was knocked off of his feet and he landed heavily to the ground. Andrew quickly extended the spikes on both ends of his staff and stabbed it into the ground. He spun around the staff and skidded around his weapon until he stopped.

The Faunus pulled the weapon from the ground and walked over to the bloodied fighter.

"Think I lied about Beacon now?" He asked and held out his hand.

The green armored swordsman slapped it away. "Get away, freak." He said.

Andrew sighed and retracted his weapon into it's original rod. He hooked it to his belt and said, "Look. I just broke your nose and beat you up. The least I can do is help you out of the mud and take you to get that looked at."

He didn't answer. Andrew felt annoyed but he kept control of his temper this time.

"Have it your way then." He said and looked around. The rain was starting to cause the others to stir. Satisfied that they'd be able to get back to their dorms, he turned and left for his own room.

"I'll get you, animal!" The green knight called after him. "Sooner than you think!"

Andrew didn't even bother replying.

**(AN: Whelp, that's all four. You've now met team EMRD and a member of another team of mine. You'll find out who he or she is very soon. I should warn you now, I'm not sure how regularly I'll post chapters. I want to stay far enough behind RWBY so that I don't mess up anything in that storyline, particularly if I think I can insert an EMRD touch to it, but I still want to get my story out for you guys to see it and enjoy. I think I'll be able to find a schedule that works. Anyway, let me know what you thought of the trailers.)**


	5. Changes

_Chapter 1: Changes_

Andrew drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. He really couldn't believe where he was right now.

He was supposed to be heading to Beacon tomorrow morning and yet, here he was, sitting in a police station in downtown Vale. He had to give Darren credit. Retribution had come far sooner than he had expected, even if it was sub-par.

"This is the dumbest thing ever," he said to the two cops sitting in the room with him. "Why am I still here?"

"That's for us to know," The bearded officer said.

"And for you to find out," the other one added.

Andrew leaned forward and said, "It's not hard to figure out, guys. I beat up some guys who were antagonizing me. They had it coming and they'll live. I didn't even hit them that hard! Just enough to teach them a lesson."

"Eh, that's what you say," the bearded officer said. "But, eh, maybe there's more to it. Maybe you're thinking about doin' some other stuff."

"Yeah, some other stuff," the second cop repeated. "Stuff like, White Fang stuff."

"Those ears," the bearded officer said. "They're a bit of an attention grabber. Maybe you're thinking that they'll take you in if you prove yourself."

"Yeah prove yourself," the second cop said, "Like pickin' on some of your fellow students. Roughin' them up a little and then BOOM" He emphasized this with by slapping his hands together, "You're in there running with your new friends causin' all sorts of trouble."

"You know what I hate?" The bearded cop asked.

"Preserving oxygen?" Andrew asked in a bored voice.

"Trouble makers." The cop replied. "And you, my friend, are a trouble maker."

"We don't like trouble makers," The second cop said, "Cause it's our job to stop them. And we don't like it when trouble makers make things... troubling. So that's why we're here."

"So that you don't cause us trouble." The bearded cop finished.

"Are you finished? Cause I really need to go and pack."

"Runnin' off now that we're on your trail are ya?" The second cop asked. The bearded cop opened his mouth to add something but Andrew cut him off.

"No, I'd just like to get back to school and back to my life. That and I really can't stand you two any longer. So unless you have anything important to say I'll just be-"

He was interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by the sound of the door opening.

"Excuse me, gentlemen." A measured voice said. "But I would like a moment alone with the young man."

The bearded cop made a grunting sort of sound and he and his partner got up to leave. He spun around at the door and said, "We've got our eyes on you." and pointed at his eyes and then at Andrew.

"Oh, I'm so scared." The Faunus said, the bored sarcasm clear in his voice.

The officers left and an older man walked in with a coffee mug in one hand and a cane in the other. His hair was grey and he wore dark green jacket and pants with a green scarf under the jacket. He had a small pair of glasses perched on his nose and his eyes were a shade of brown that Andrew couldn't place.

"I apologize for that. Some of the police have a tendency to jump the gun."

"I take it you're not a cop." Andrew said as he shifted in his chair. The man had a powerful presence, like some of his instructors at school but, more so. Andrew sniffed and looked at the mug. "Is that hot chocolate?"

"Perceptive." The man said as he set the mug down and the cane aside before taking the seat in front of Andrew.

"I've got a good nose." Andrew said and his wolf's ear flicked as he spoke.

"A benefit of being a Faunus no doubt." The man said and sipped from his mug. "Though I imagine it can have drawbacks."

"If you're not careful, sure." Andrew said.

"And are you?" The man asked.

Andrew paused. The way the guy asked the question was unusual. He decided to cut to the chase.

"I know you." Andrew said. "Why are you here, Professor Ozpin?"

"Believe it or not, I was here on other business, but when I hear that one of my new students was involved in an attack on some of his peers you can understand my concern."

"I was proving a point." Andrew said defensively.

"You were baited and you took it." Ozpin said.

"Do you think I was going to sit there and take it?"

"I expect you to handle yourself better. You're training to be a huntsman, Mr. Deneem. You need to keep your temper in check, especially in my school."

"But-"

"Not everyone will think like you do, Mr. Deneem. And while steps are being taken between our two races, what you do has an impact. Remember that."

Ozpin picked up his mug and cane and started to leave. "I'll see you around Beacon, Mr. Deneem. You're free to leave. The police won't bother you." He said as he left.

Andrew sat there in silence, fuming. What irritated him was that Ozpin was right. He had been baited and his reaction did matter. Those cops, while they might not be the brightest, had suspected him of White Fang tendencies because of what he had done to his classmates.

He _didn't_ have White Fang tendencies. He thought the White Fang was a group of idiots, but that wouldn't stop others from thinking otherwise.

"I'm out of the classroom and still getting lectures." Andrew said to himself before getting up and leaving the station.

On his way out he caught sight of a little girl with a bright red hood and cloak. He blinked, surprised at the touch of color. When he looked again the girl was gone.

It didn't take long for Andrew to pack his belongings. He had nowhere to return to and next to no family to speak of. Most of his belongings consisted of books, mostly school texts and guides, but there was the occasional novel. Then there was his weapon, and his father's old chess set.

Considering the meagerness of his possessions it really wasn't a surprise that he got to the airship early. What was to his surprise, was that he was not the only who had arrived early.

There was a guy about his own age dressed in bright gold combat gear laying on a bench nearby looking completely at ease with himself. Andrew had to blink after a moment just because of how bright the gear was in the sunlight.

"Who in their right mind would wear something like that as combat gear?" He said to himself.

"A guy who couldn't care less what people thought about him." The gold clad teen said. Then he heaved himself into a sitting position and looked at Andrew. "I thought I was the only one who enjoyed being early."

Andrew now saw that the gold trend didn't end with the teen's clothes. He also had bright blonde hair and a pair of curved horns coming out of his head.

"Enjoying doesn't have anything to do with it." Andrew said. "I just didn't have a lot to pack."

"So why not sleep in?" The blonde replied. "Spend a little more time with your friends before heading here?"

"I don't have friends." Andrew said in a tone of voice that said: Don't stay on the subject. The other Faunus appeared to miss the point because he kept on talking.

"Not even one?"

"Nope." Andrew said grimly. He could already tell this guy was a talker.

"That stinks. No one from when you were a kid?"

"Just drop it, alright?" Andrew snapped.

The teen finally seemed to get the message and fell silent. After a moment, however, he spoke again. "Reg." He said.

"What?"

"For the next time you yell at me. Call me Reg. It's short for Reginald. Reginald Aurum."

Andrew nodded at stood there awkwardly for a moment before saying. "My name's Andrew." He lifted his bag and asked, "Is there anywhere I can put this?"

Reginald nodded his head to where there were some other bags set aside for when the airship came. Andrew dropped his alongside others and kept to himself until others started arriving. Not that long after came boarding and Andrew found himself wandering the airship. He wished he'd gotten his father's chess set out of his bag before putting it with the others.

"Well look who it is." A voice drawled behind him.

Andrew turned around and recognized the owner of the voice immediately.

The speaker was human and stood a couple inches taller than Andrew and had dark green hair. The human wore green armor across his entire body and his twin swords were hung form his sides.

"Hello, Darren. How's your head?" Andrew said.

"It's been better. You broke my nose yesterday." Darren replied.

"It doesn't look too bad." Andrew said. " I can't even tell that it had been broken. Oh, and I enjoyed your follow-up performance last night. It was a nice touch for our relationship."

"That was nothing." Darren replied. "I will make sure you get what you deserve, Deneem. Keep those ears perked, mutt." Darren turned and walked away.

Andrew took a long breath and kept a firm grip on his temper. He hadn't realized that Darren had been accepted to Beacon as well. Given how well he had trounced the bully, he was surprised that Darren had even been accepted. He was going to have to be careful.

He directed his attention to a nearby screen as a mellow tone came from it. A blonde woman was projected and she began to speak.

"Hello and welcome to Beacon." She said. "My name is Glynda Goodwitch. You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of attending this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace and as future huntsmen and huntresses it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world."

Even his encounter with Darren couldn't shake the feeling of excitement that went through him with Goodwitch's speech. He was finally at Beacon, where he could make a true difference for himself and the world.

A blonde haired boy rushed past him, covering his mouth.

_Well, I guess people handle excitement differently._ Andrew thought. Things might start looking up.

**(AN: And now the story begins. Just as a reminder: EMRD will be running parallel to RWBY. You'll be seeing lots of scenes from volume 1, which will act as a way to help keep track of when the story is happening, but I don't plan on really changing any of them in any significant way. **

**Also, in case I didn't write it so well, Darren was in the D trailer. If anyone can guess what he's based on, I'll give you a shout out in the next chapter. **

**One last thing before I go. For anyone thinking about complaining that Ozpin drinks coffee and not hot chocolate, Miles and Kerry have said that they weren't sure which it was ,but they were leaning towards hot chocolate the last I had heard anything about it. (If it was addressed in the volume 2 commentary and I am wrong, let me say "my bad" in advance. I haven't seen that yet.)**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next one. Read and review, let me know what you think so far. Ciao.)**


	6. The First Steps

_Chapter 2: The First Steps_

It didn't take long for the airship to arrive at Beacon. Either that, or Andrew's excitement at the idea of attending helped the time go by faster. In any event, Andrew was soon disembarking from the ship and looking at what would be his home for the next four years.

Home. It was strange for him to call anywhere home, considering how he'd come to his previous school. Fragments of memories from his life before training flickered in his mind.

He shook his head to clear away the ghosts of the past. It was his purpose for being here after all. The past shouldn't have to haunt him now that he was doing something about it.

A sudden explosion nearby caused Andrew to jump and reach for his quarterstaff. It was unhooked from his belt and about to be extended when he heard a girl yell.

"Unbelievable! This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about!"

Andrew immediately recognized the girl who was yelling. She was Weiss Schnee, the heiress to the esteemed Schnee Dust Company.

"What's she doing here?" the Faunus asked himself. "Shouldn't she getting pampered in Atlas?"

"Maybe her father's worried about her ability to protect herself." A soft female voice said from beside Andrew.

He turned and saw a blonde girl that was about his own height. The girl's hair was done in a ponytail that fell between her shoulder blades and a pair of blonde cat ears were on the top of her head. She had an oval shaped face light blue eyes.

The girl was wearing a light green dress that had cream colored details that complimented her hair. The combat skirt of the dress came to around the girl's knees and her cream colored stockings reached that point as well. She also wore cream colored gloves that reached her elbows and there was an intricate metal belt wrapped around her wait.

"Pardon?" Andrew asked.

"Well with the increase in White Fang activity and that Dust shop robbery in Vale, maybe Mr. Schnee is concerned that his little heiress might be in danger. Although it looks more like that girl is in more danger right now."

Andrew looked back to the heiress and saw the girl who was the target of her wrath. It appeared to be a girl who was a little young to be at Beacon and she was wearing a bright red cloak.

A red cloak. That seemed familiar to Andrew, but he couldn't quite place why.

"Should we help her?" The blonde girl asked.

"I think we're covered." Andrew said and nodded to another girl with ebony hair that had just approached the heiress. The blonde turned to Andrew and held out her hand.

"My name's Emily Virden. It's a pleasure."

"Andrew Deneem." Andrew replied, shaking her hand and feeling out of his element. There weren't many Faunus at his old school and girls were people he hadn't really been around much.

Emily began walking towards the main building and asked, "Everything alright, Andrew?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm not used to... personal stuff."

Emily giggled. "Do you need lessons or something? Surely you've had one friend."

"Not... really." Andrew said and looked away.

Emily's face fell. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up anything bad."

"I'm alright. I just don't want to talk about it."

The two Faunus entered the huge hall where the other students were beginning to gather.

It didn't take long for more students to show up. Andrew's eyes roamed the hall, noting students appearances, trying to find people he recognized. A fruitless venture, but he liked to know his competition.

He quickly spotted someone who looked like Reginald and was about to look away until he realized that Reginald didn't have breasts or hair that long.

The girl was speaking the young girl in red that he had seen with the Schnee earlier.

"Doesn't she look a little young to be here?" Andrew asked Emily.

Emily looked the red-hooded girl up and down and said, "A little. But size isn't a judge of power. If she's here then she earned it."

"I wouldn't say everyone here deserves it." Andrew muttered.

"What makes you say that?" Emily asked.

Andrew started to shake his head but the sound of a microphone saved him from speaking.

"I'll… keep this brief." Professor Ozpin said from the stage. "You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you are finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy. A need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will you prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step." Ozpin then turned and walked away and professor Goodwitch took his place at the microphone.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

Andrew looked at Emily as Goodwitch left.

"Did he seem distant to you?" He asked.

"Yeah." The cat replied thoughtfully. "It was strange."

The two Faunus wandered out of the hall and Andrew spotted Reginald talking to a girl in a maroon jean jacket that matched her short hair. She wore black pants and maroon boots that came to hard points. Her face was set in hard lines that were enough to broadcast her irritation.

"Be careful around the gold guy." Andrew told Emily. "He's a bit of a talker."

"What makes you think I'll have a problem with that?" The blonde replied with a smile.

Andrew paused to give that some thought. Before he could, something big and gold flew past him and into the wall nearby.

"Reg!" He yelled without thinking and went to check the gold clad Faunus.

"Did I get her, mom?" Reginald asked in a dazed voice. Andrew could almost see stars circling his head.

"Uuummm… no?" Andrew asked. He looked at Emily, but she wasn't looking at them. She was staring at the back of the maroon girl who was now walking away.

"She didn't even say sorry." The blonde fumed. "What kind of person punches someone into a wall and doesn't at least a little concerned?"

"An irritated one." Andrew huffed as he hauled the ram Faunus to his feet. "Can you give me a hand here? This guy isn't exactly a feather. He's more like a stack of bricks."

Emily helped Andrew get Reginald to his feet. The gold student was already shaking his head and coming back to reality. His eyes locked onto Emily and light returned to them.

"It's not every day I get helped out by a beautiful blonde." He said with a grin.

"Told you." Andrew told Emily. "A talker."

"Are you alright?" Emily asked.

"I am now, sweetie. Thanks." Reginald said.

"Please, stop that."

Reginald raised his hands up. "Alright. At least you asked. The walking torpedo," he pointed in the direction of the maroonette. "wasn't so kind."

"How did she even do that?" Andrew asked as he let go of Reginald. "You're about twice her size."

"Beats me. I was talking to her and then POW. I'm in the wall."

"Talking?" Emily asked sternly, putting a hand on her hip.

"And Ozpin lectured me on my temper." Andrew muttered as he stepped away from the two Faunus.

He hadn't been at Beacon a full day yet and things were already overwhelming. He needed a little time to himself.

**(AN: Chapter 2 is here! And, as promised, the story is taking place near the action of RWBY. Later it will separate for a while, but for now it's still close. I think I'm going to try and post this story every thursday. Considering the number of chapters I have made so far I think I can keep this story at the pace I want it without breaking away from a respectable gap with the series. **

**I also want to thank LightJakRises for the reviews. I gives me pride to see that I'm writing well. I also want to thank everyone who has read this far. I enjoy every view, review, favorite, and follow because it tells me I'm doing something right.**

**Let me know what you guys think so far. Until next week. Ciao.)**


	7. The Calm

**(AN: It's kind of lucky that this chapter is shorter, because events have caused me to add some more words to this note. As you readers may or may not know, Monty Oum, the creator or RWBY, has passed away. Monty was a huge inspiration for so many of us, as this site can surely show through the sheer number of stories he led us to create. The number of lives he touched was incredible and the number of lives he will continue to touch through us will be more incredible still. It was hard for me to decide whether or not to continue this story, for fear of I'm not quite sure what. But, looking at the words from the community and the works of Monty himself, I have resolved to continue with ERMD until its conclusion, whether it follows RWBY to its end or if it can end on its own. The introspection that occurs in this chapter seems very appropriate for this hard time and this chapter, I think, can also serve to show us how our friendships can help us through these times. It's a little funny, in a strange way, how something difficult has occurred right when my characters have the words and events to remind us how to survive these times. Thank you for your time reading this note. Without further delay, I present you with chapter 3. Some hidden and ****unintentional advice from E,M,R, and D.)**

Chapter_ 3: The Calm_

He found refuge in a tall tree out by student dorms. He enjoyed heights. There was just something peaceful about a tall perch that he couldn't quite place. Maybe it had something to do with being a Faunus. Andrew really didn't care one way or the other. All he knew was that he was finally able to relax a bit.

He stared up through the branches and leaves at the few pieces of sky that he could see.

So much had happened in the last day. He'd lost his temper back at his old schools and had been called down to the police station as a kind of payback from his "victims".

Then there was Ozpin's rather fortunate visit. Why was he there again? He'd said, "other business" but Andrew found it awfully coincidental that he'd been there to bail him out.

Andrew shook his head. Maybe he was reading too much into the event. Ozpin was a huntsman after all. It wasn't surprising that he might visit a police station.

What had really shaken him was Darren's appearance on the airship. He'd given no indication that he'd also been accepted to Beacon and joined with other student's mockery of him back at school.

Granted, he'd been the last one to fall in their tussle, but Andrew wouldn't have pinned him on being accepted as well.

_Was he holding back in our fight? If so, why?_ Andrew had a feeling he was being played, but couldn't figure out why.

He tucked the thought away for later and checked the sky again to figure out the time. He could've checked his scroll but he didn't want to move unless he had to.

He realized that more time had passed than he thought. The Faunus hopped off of the branch and almost landed on the maroon girl who had punched out Reginald earlier.

"Look out!" He yelled as he fell, unable to stop his descent.

The short girl reacted far faster than Andrew thought possible, leaping into a roll that brought her to safety before Andrew even touched the ground.

"Watch it." She said as she stood up.

"My bad." Andrew said, dusting off his pants. "I didn't see you there." He saw her eyes move to his ears and added. "Honest. I thought I was alone. I wasn't trying to kill you or anything."

"Why would you say that?" The maroon girl asked.

"Because people have gotten that idea about me before and I'd rather not repeat the incident. I don't want talk about it."

He locked his yellow eyes with her and she quickly averted her own stormy grey orbs. He noticed the circles under eyes just before she turned away.

"Alright. Just watch where you drop next time."

"Sure thing." Andrew said and he left, heading for the ballroom they would be sleeping in that night.

Andrew looked up from the chessboard when he heard something thump next to him.

"Mind if I sleep here?" Reginald asked.

"Yes." Andrew said and looked back to his chess game. He moved a white pawn as Reginald ignored him and flopped down next to him.

"Who's winning?" The ram asked.

"You never truly know in chess." Andrew said as he moved a black knight. "It's a game of strategy, not tactics."

"Come again?"

"Tactics are the plans made during battles." The wolf explained. "A strategy is a plan made for a war. One's short term while the other is long term."

Reginald nodded.

After a moment Andrew spoke again. "Are you going to tell me why you're bothering me again or am I going to have to beat it out of you?"

Reginald raised his eyebrows. "I figured it was obvious. You don't have any friends, and I'm looking to fix that."

"I think I'll survive without you following me around." Andrew replied and moved a white rook.

Reg gave Andrew a look. "20 lien that you're wrong."

Andrew picked up a black bishop and looked at Reginald. "Tell me you're joking."

"I'm dead serious." Reginald said with a gleam in his eye. "I'll bet you hard, cold cash that by this time tomorrow, you won't be able to get by without me." He picked up a discarded white knight as Andrew set down the bishop.

The wolf then looked at Reginald and said, "And if I win?"

"I'm out 20 lien and I'll never bother you again. Deal?"

"If it gets you to stop bothering me, then fine."

Reginald smiled and moved a white pawn diagonally, taking out a piece and bringing it to the end of the board. He replaced it with the knight he was holding before standing up and saying, "Checkmate, friend." He flicked the black king onto its side before walking off.

Andrew stared at the board and then at Reginald's back. Something that felt like a rock settled in Andrew's stomach as he watched the Faunus walk off.

"OH, NOT YOU AGAIN!" someone yelled and Andrew jumped. Looking for the source of the commotion he spotted a group of girls by one of the walls.

He recognized the Schnee immediately and then noticed who she was with. There was the blonde and the red-head he had seen before Ozpin's speech and the ebony haired girl he had seen in the courtyard.

His eyes narrowed at the bow the girl was wearing. "Who wears a bow to sleep?" He asked himself. The girl in question picked up the candle near her and blew out the flame, bringing the area around her into more darkness.

He kept his eye on the girl as she moved quiet well in the low light. As he watched the girl he heard a whimper and looked around once again.

After a moment he spotted the maroon haired girl and Emily. The blonde cat had her arm around the maroon girl, who let out another whimper before seeming to calm down.

Andrew started to rise, but decided against it. He cleared up his chessboard and laid down on his back.

_What have I gotten myself into?_ He thought before he fell asleep.

**(AN: This wasn't quite the authors note I expected to be writing at the end of this chapter. Most of the words that are appropriate are in the first note. The only thing I can think to repeat is to go to friends when things feel tough, much like EMRD has done unintentionally. It really is kind of surprising that this chapter has come up now, of all times, because I've had this written in advance for months. Life sure works in mysterious ways. I hope this chapter can help you if you are looking for it. I look forward to seeing you thursday, when I shall post again for consistency. Until then, goodbye. Rest in Peace Monty Oum.)**


	8. Thoughts and Wagers

**(AN: Pretty short chapter today. It's actually about as long as my first trailer. Couple of things before we start, 1) I know Andrew seems to act like a jerk in this chapter, but I honestly feel it was justified. 2) I tried writing a bit of this in a way that might help you see it in the way it might be animated. That should be a little more clear after you read the chapter. So, without further delay, chapter 4.)**

_Chapter 4: Thoughts and Wagers_

Andrew was woken up by the sound of a girl yelling, "Wake up, lazy bud!"

His eyes snapped open and he looked at the source of the noise, which was a girl with orange hair buzzing around a boy wearing green.

Andrew tensed, thinking it was Darren, before he noticed the long, black hair and pink eyes.

He relaxed and decided to get moving now that he was awake.

The girl couldn't seem to stop moving as she said, "It's morning." several times.

_I hope this doesn't last all day._ Andrew thought to himself as he headed for the bathrooms.

He ended up trading one annoyance for another.

The moment he entered the bathroom, he saw Reginald brushing his teeth with one hand and holding his toothbrush, toothpaste and all, in the other.

Andrew scowled at Reginald.

"How did you get my toothbrush?" He asked through gritted teeth.

Reginald looked at him and said, "I'm good?" in a voice that made the statement sound more like a question. He had five seconds to sneak in his signature smile before Andrew's fist met his face.

Reginald fell over in pain and Andrew caught the spinning toothbrush in his hand before beginning to clean his teeth.

Reginald got up holding his jaw. "Hey! What did you slug me for?!"

Andrew didn't even look at him as he spoke around the toothbrush, "For going through my stuff."

"I was just trying to be helpful!"

"Then be helpful to somebody else."

"Can't you at least say: 'Wow, Reg. Thank you very much for taking the effort to find my toothbrush and wait for you'?"

"Nope." Andrew said and Reginald hung his head.

"You are no fun."

"Can I brush my teeth in peace?" Andrew asked.

On queue, the orange haired girl and the boy in green walked in. The girl was still rambling on and on without appearing to draw breath.

Andrew growled and left the bathroom to change and pack up his sleeping things. _Isn't there a girls bathroom she should be using?_

By some miracle, he managed to avoid Reginald and the talkative girl while he gathered up his things and changed.

He put on his combat gear, which comprised of a grey pair pants and a grey vest over a denim blue shirt. It might not look like combat gear to the average observer, but the clothing was more than enough for him to fight well. It was flexible enough for him to move quickly and silently as well as strong enough to take hits along with his aura.

His luck ended when he entered the cafeteria and immediately saw Reginald with a plate of food in each hand.

"I hope you like pancakes." He said with a smile.

Reginald let out a strangled sound when Andrew kneed him in the groin. The wolf Faunus snatched the plates before they hit the ground and walked to an empty table.

He was able to eat in peace for a little while he idly listened to what people were talking about.

He'd heard rumors that would be broken into teams, which was a problem. He'd always been a loner. It had even earned him a nickname at his old school. Students had often referred to him as THE Lone Wolf. The reputation that had been attached to him with that name hadn't exactly been stellar either. His temper had often gotten him in trouble. That what _she_ had for him pretty solidly locked him away from consistent interaction.

Maybe being in a team would do him some good. The question was, how would teams be determined? He doubted that Professor Ozpin would let students pick their own members. That would leave trouble for loners like himself and debates about who would be in charge.

A plate clattered down next him and he put his face to the table.

"Go away Reginald or I'll slug you again."

"That's charming, but I think you should look up." A woman said.

Andrew looked up and saw Emily standing there.

"Oh my, I'm sorry. Reginald, the gold guy from yesterday, won't stop harassing me. You can sit here if you want."

The cat sat down and took a sip of her milk before getting into her own food.

"Any reason he's been bugging you?" She asked between bites.

"I made the mistake of taking a bet and I think he's determined to win."

Emily laughed. "What was the bet?" She asked, giggling.

"He bet 20 lien that I wouldn't be able to get by without him by tonight."

"I wish you luck." She said and lifted her glass to him. "Have you heard the rumors?"

"About teams? Yeah."

"Do you think they're true?"

Andrew tapped his fork against his plate and said, "I wouldn't be surprised, but I think there's more to it." He pointed his fork at Emily's plate. "Is that bacon?"

Emily passed it over and took one of the pancakes from the extra plate that had presumably been Reginald's before Andrew took it.

"What do you mean, 'you think there's more to it'?" She asked.

"I doubt that Professor Ozpin will just let us choose our teammates. It would fall apart pretty quickly. Teams made of friends might not balance out well and teams of strangers would be further behind them in cooperation."

"So what do you think is going to happen?"

"I have no idea. But whatever it is, I'm pretty sure it will level out the playing field."

Emily suddenly stood up and yelled, "Marie! Over here!"

Andrew followed her gaze and spotted the maroon girl from the day before. The girl, now named Marie, hesitated and looked at a clock mounted on the wall. Then she looked at Emily and shook her head before leaving.

Andrew looked at his scroll and realized what she meant.

"She's probably heading to the lockers. We should probably get our gear."

They both rose and left after Marie.

**(AN: Like I said, short chapter. Let me know what you guy thought about the chapter. Until next week, ciao.)**


	9. Initiation

_Chapter 5: Initiation_

Andrew looked down the sight of his weapon and lowered it after being sure it was correct. He brought it to fullest extension and twirled it around in his hand, making sure the weapon was balanced. He had no idea what to expect in the forest.

Suddenly, he spun around and held the weapon horizontally, blocking the sword that was being swung at him from behind.

Darren gave him a half smile and said, "Better hope those animalistic reflexes are good enough for the woods. Then again, I guess you'd know a thing or two about trees, wouldn't you?"

As tempting as it was to take the bait, Andrew fought back his temper.

"I'm touched you care, Darren." He said. "If you keep this attitude up we might even end up being partners. That'd be ironic, wouldn't it? The two of us working side-by-side."

Darren huffed and pulled his sword back, sliding it into its scabbard. "I don't need a pet, Lone Wolf. You'd only slow me down anyway."

"I don't think the cops got that impression. You should probably call them and let them know."

The human reached for his weapon once again but an arm grabbed his hand.

"I suggest you save that for the Grimm." A girl said. "They deserve it more."

"Get out of here girl or I'll-" Darren let out a grunt of pain when the girl's hand tightened. He tore his hand out of her grip and stormed away, glaring at Andrew as he passed. Andrew looked at his savior and saw the maroon girl, Marie, looking at him.

"Thanks." he said.

"You shouldn't have antagonized him." She said. "You were only giving him an excuse to lash out."

"He was trying to do the same." Andrew said defensively.

"And does that give you the right to encourage it?" Marie asked harshly, the maroon bracers clanking as she crossed her arms. "It's things like that that get innocents hurt."

"There's no way that-" Andrew started to say but Marie cut him off.

"You'd have pushed each other until one of you broke and then everyone here might've gotten involved or hurt. Then you'd have blamed the other for the problem. Tell me, what does that solve?"

Andrew didn't answer.

Marie gave a nod and walked past him without another word.

Andrew watched her leave. It took him a moment to realize that he'd heard that lecture already. Ozpin had said his reactions mattered. He was starting to see what the professor had meant. His hands clenched into fists. He always seemed to be the one getting lectured, despite the fact that Darren instigated so much.

He followed Darren and Marie's steps and started to head towards the cliff from the locker room. He stopped when he saw some more of his class mates, recognizing two of them.

Weiss Schnee, stood out obviously with her white hair and high-and-mighty bearing. What caused Andrew to stop was the girl next to her.

Pyrrha Nikos, world renown fighter, was standing next to her and a blonde haired boy who appeared completely clueless about who he was next to.

Andrew was surprised at the possibilities this presented. Pyrrha was the invincible girl. She would be an incredible partner to practice with or even to simply watch.

He walked past them, listening to the Schnee girl lecture the blonde boy on who he was speaking to.

_Does he honestly not know who she is?_ Andrew thought as he headed to the cliff. How could anyone not know Pyrrha Nikos?

Thoughts on the celebrity were driven from his mind when professor Goodwitch's voice came over the intercom.

"Would all first year students please report to Beacon cliff for initiation. Again, all first year students report to Beacon cliff immediately."

Andrew set his shoulders and left the locker room.

The cliff overlooked the Emerald Forest, a location that lived up to its name. The trees stretched as far as he could see and the hue of the leaves reminded him of the gem that the forest was named after.

There were metal plates placed at regular intervals along the cliff and students were standing on them, waiting for their instructions, as directed by professor Goodwitch.

Andrew found an empty one next to a man with brown hair that made Andrew think of a bird's nest. He wore brown armor that looked to be made of leather and some metal and there was a pair of small axes on his belt. The kid regarded Andrew like something unpleasant he had been forced to tolerate.

"I can't get a break, can I?" Andrew muttered and looked down the row of new students. He felt the color drain from his face when he spotted a face he thought he'd never see again.

_It's not possible._ He thought to himself. _She moved to Mistral. Why is she back?_

Professor Ozpin's voice broke his line of thought and the Faunus looked to the headmaster.

"For years you have trained to become warriors. And today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

So it was going to be a trial by fire. Not too surprising. They probably wanted to get a good idea of the level of training we all have.

Professor Goodwitch picked up where Ozpin left off and said, "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today."

There was at least one moan of disappointment before professor Ozpin spoke again.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well."

So they were going to let them choose after all? That didn't make any sense. There couldn't have been that many groups of friends here. Then there were the people like himself who didn't really have anyone they could readily partner up with. And if that was the case, why was it being brought up on the top of a cliff?

"That being said," professor Ozpin continued, "the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

The penny dropped and Andrew had to give Ozpin credit. It was brilliant way to set up the whole scenario. To force people to work together in a hostile environment had honestly hadn't even occurred to him.

A girl yelled out: "What?!" in a surprised and almost shrill voice. Professor Ozpin continued before Andrew could identify who had shouted.

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path or you will die."

That changed things. The danger was completely real. Andrew wondered how many initiates wouldn't come back. Even jerks like Darren didn't deserve death at the claws of _those_ things.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene." Ozpin continued. "You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"

Andrew was convinced he was kidding, but the blonde boy he had seen with Pyrrha and the Schnee earlier, rose his hand like a school kid.

"Yeah. Um, sir-"

"Good." Ozpin interrupted. "Now, take your positions."

Andrew bent forward and brought his hand to his side, near the collapsed quarterstaff hanging from his belt. He adjusted his booted legs to be better suited for take-off. The landing was certainly going to be interesting.

Students began to be catapulted off of the cliff. Andrew closed his eyes and tried to envision what he needed to do. This was made harder by the blonde boy who insisted upon asking his question.

_I really hope that kid doesn't get himself killed._ Andrew thought as he was launched towards his first test to becoming a huntsman.

**(AN: And now they're off. Kids, they grow up so fast. :) **

**Anyway, only a couple things to mention. I'm kind of curious about what you all think about Darren. So far he's only been a jerk but has he come across as anything else to you? Also, I was intentionally vague about who _she_ is. You'll be seeing more of her later, I promise.**

**As always, let me know what guys think. I love every review, favorite, follow, and view. Until next time, ciao.)**


	10. Partners

_Chapter 6: Partners_

The wind blasted past Andrew as he soared over the Emerald forest. He saw several other students fall into the foliage as he soared.

He saw the Schnee hopping from rings as they appeared under her and he caught sight of Reginald flying backwards with his arms behind his head.

_Show off._ Andrew thought as he fell into the green of the woods.

The Faunus waited until he saw two adjacent trees before he acted. He held his quarterstaff horizontally in front of him like a handle bar. When he flew between the trees he was aiming for he extended the weapon. The spiked ends dug into the bark of the trees and held the weapon still.

Andrew used his momentum to swing under and around his staff, continuing until he slowed down and then hung from his weapon like it was a monkey bar on a playground.

After the dizziness stopped, Andrew looked down to gauge how far he had to drop and saw a beowolf looking up at him.

"Hi." he said and collapsed his staff, causing him to drop and land feet first on the Grimm. "Thanks for the padding," he added and set off into the woods before more Grimm showed up.

Ozpin's words came back to him as he traveled. "The first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

He had to be careful of who he met here. Knowing his luck, he might actually get partnered up with Darren. That would be just what he needed. His worst enemy being his partner.

Andrew ducked under some branches and considered who else he knew at Beacon.

Bird nest hair gave him about as much confidence as Darren would as a partner. The guy clearly didn't like Andrew from the moment he laid eyes on him and he was trying to avoid mutual feelings.

He wasn't going to be _her_ partner either, no matter what Ozpin said. He'd rather leave than go through that again.

There was a rustle nearby and Andrew adjusted his staff to rifle mode and fired into a bush. There was a howl and another beowolf leapt from the shrub. It took a second shot to the head and fell to the ground, its body already starting to dissolve. He kept moving north towards their objective.

Marie was an it-depends option. She had defended him when Darren was antagonizing him in the locker room, but then had lectured him about doing the same thing. He had been reciprocating, he wouldn't deny it, but if she couldn't bring herself to trust him then it could be a problem.

Emily, on the other hand, did seem to trust him and empathize with his situation. They had started out rather well and there wasn't any kind of animosity between them. If he could find her, then he might gain a reliable partner.

Another rustle brought his attention to his surroundings. Andrew fully extended his weapon and prepared for another encounter.

When nothing happened, he began to slowly move forward, trying to sense when an attack might be coming.

Something moved behind him and he spun around, swing his staff as he did. The beowolf was knocked to the side by the weapon and landed on its feet.

It gave a growl and attacked again, slashing its claws. Andrew parried with a quarter of his weapon and swung the other end, striking the creature in the head.

The Grimm reared up and was suddenly assaulted by a hail of gunfire from the side. The Grimm let out a howl and fell to its side.

Andrew looked around and saw Reginald standing to the side, holding a black and gold machine gun.

"And that's 20," the ram said and stepped out of the shrub he'd been hiding in.

"That doesn't count." Andrew said, collapsing his staff. "I was about to kill it anyway."

"But you didn't. I did and saved you time and energy as well. I also took out its buddy."

Reginald heaved a dissolving beowolf out of the bush and in front of Andrew.

"Still doesn't count." Andrew said. "I could've taken him too."

"I'm starting to wonder if you even have 20 lien to give me." Reginald said. "We can argue about it later. Right now we need to get to the temple, partner."

Andrew lifted his arms into the air and said, "Fine. Checkmate. You've got me. I'm still not paying you."

The two Faunus struck out north again. _It could be worse_. Andrew thought. _It could've been Darren._

Emily weaved silently between trees, trying not to draw attention to herself. She was at a disadvantage in tight quarters and last thing she wanted was to get attacked right now. She'd have to take the fight to a clearing or battle from up a tree.

She hadn't found a partner yet even though she had found some students. They were all paired up, however, and she didn't want to get in their way.

Her cat ears twitched when she heard a grunt and she stopped moving to listen more clearly.

There was combat not that far from where she was. She climbed into a tree and hopped from branch to branch until she found the fighters.

She found the girl she had comforted the night before, Marie, fighting back an Ursa in a clearing. She was surprised at how well Marie was doing.

The maroonette was small for her age, standing at around 5'3", and was very small compared to the Ursa that she was engaged with. The girl's body, however, didn't seem to be aware of the difference in size.

The girl would strike the Grimm with her bare hand and the it would stumble back as if it had been hit with a large hammer. Marie would also move faster than seemed possible whenever the Ursa managed to get in an attack.

Emily was interested in how the girl fought, but also desperate to show her own skill.

She unwound the metal from around her waist. She gripped the chain whip and flicked her arm out after Marie landed another powerful strike.

The jiujiebian wrapped around the neck of the Grimm and Emily pulled with all her strength. The linked blades dug into its neck and put the creature off balance.

Marie saw her opening and a pair of blades slid out of her bracers. The human surged forward and slashed both of her arms out. The Ursa's top and bottom halves fell apart and the jiujiebian sliced through the Grimm's neck, the pieces of the Grimm falling with thuds to the ground.

Emily hopped down from her tree and said, "Nice team work. You okay?"

"I'm fine." Marie said.

"Do you have a partner?"

"Nope. You?"

"Me neither. I guess that makes us a team now."

Marie nodded her head towards the pieces of dissolving Ursa. "We should go before more of them show up."

The cat nodded and the two girls headed out.

"What's that?" Marie asked Emily, pointing to her weapon.

"It's a jiujiebian or chain whip." The Faunus explained. "It's designed to wrap around cover and strike an opponent. Once we get out of these trees you'll see what I can do."

Marie nodded and lifted her arms. "My bracers and boots can help. I work best up close."

"You want me to get back into the trees?"

"Can you fight with more than just your weapon?" Marie asked.

Emily smiled. "I've got a trick or two besides my weapon. Just you wait." Emily leapt back into the trees and followed Marie through the forest.

**(AN: Whelp, here's chapter 6. Sorry that I'm posting later than usual today. A snow day threw me off my schoolwork schedule and then I had to play catch up and make progress on some of my bigger work, etc. Long story short, I just didn't have the time I usually do. Hopefully things will be better next week. :)**

**Anyway, we finally have partners set up! Yay! I really hope I've written this part of the story well. Combat isn't exactly my forte unless I really plan something out, so I hope I'm giving the forest arc its due. **

**While I'm on that line of thought. Raven, I noticed that you were worried about the characters being op. First, thank you for the review and your concern. I really don't want my characters to be op. Secondly, I think it's safe to say that you don't need to worry. If, for example, RWBY and EMRD were to face off I'm pretty sure RWBY would win. I tended to round down when it came to developing their ****abilities.**

**Thank you everyone for your views, reviews, favorites, and follows. I appreciate them all and can't wait to see what you all think. Until next time, ciao.)**


End file.
